EVIDENCE ACT 1906 - SECT 20C

EVIDENCE ACT 1906 - SECT 20C

20C .         Exclusion of evidence of protected confidences

        (1)         A court may direct that evidence not be adduced in a proceeding if the court finds that adducing it would disclose —

            (a)         a protected confidence; or

            (b)         the contents of a document recording a protected confidence; or

            (c)         protected identity information.

        (2)         A court may give such a direction —

            (a)         on its own initiative; or

            (b)         on the application of the protected confider or confidant concerned, whether or not either is a party.

        (3)         A court must give such a direction if it is satisfied that —

            (a)         it is likely that harm would or might be caused, whether directly or indirectly, to the protected confider if the evidence is adduced; and

            (b)         the nature, extent and likelihood of the harm outweigh the desirability of the evidence being given.

        (4)         Without limiting the matters that a court may have regard to for the purposes of this section, it must have regard to the following matters —

            (a)         the probative value of the evidence in the proceeding;

            (b)         the importance of the evidence in the proceeding;

            (c)         the nature and gravity of the relevant offence, cause of action or defence and the nature of the subject matter of the proceeding;

            (d)         the availability of any other evidence concerning the matters to which the protected confidence or protected identity information relates;

            (e)         the likely effect of adducing evidence of the protected confidence or protected identity information, including the likelihood of harm, and the nature and extent of harm that would be caused to the protected confider;

            (f)         the means, including any ancillary orders that may be made under section 20F, available to the court to limit the harm or extent of the harm that is likely to be caused if evidence of the protected confidence or the protected identity information is disclosed;

            (g)         the likely effect of the evidence in relation to —

                  (i)         a prosecution that has commenced but has not been finalised; or

                  (ii)         an investigation, of which the court is aware, into whether or not an offence has been committed;

            (h)         whether the substance of the protected confidence or the protected identity information has already been disclosed by the protected confider or any other person;

                  (i)         the public interest in preserving the confidentiality of protected confidences;

            (j)         the public interest in preserving the confidentiality of protected identity information.

        (5)         A court must not give a direction under this section in a proceeding for defamation concerning the publication of alleged defamatory matter containing or relying on a protected confidence unless the court is first satisfied that the content of the protected confidence is true, and if the court is so satisfied, subsections (3) and (4) apply.

        (6)         A court must state its reasons for giving or refusing to give a direction under this section.

        [Section 20C inserted: No. 31 of 2012 s. 5.]